Our Journey

Craft brewers hop to it and when it comes to brewing some of the most delicious craft beers in the United States, they are really showing their talent.  They’ve created some of the most amazing brews in the country and they only seem to get better every year.  New craft breweries are opening every year across the United States and each one strives to reach the mark that breweries such as Funky Buddha have reached.  After all, those folks are looking at upwards of $25 per bottle for some of their outstanding brews!  Who wouldn’t want to reach that status?

How do craft brewers hop to it?

Craft breweries have found a great niche to fill in the United States.  With the demand for craft beer rising every year, it makes sense that new craft breweries are popping regularly.  This is great news because it means we get to enjoy all of the new ideas being brought to the table by these newer brew masters.  However, that is not to say that the established breweries aren’t doing their part to bring forth more exciting brews for the craft beer community.  They are making outstanding efforts to amp up their craft and doing a great job!

These breweries make judicious use of hops and malt to create some of the most delicious brews available.  Some specialize in a few types of hops, while others create “suicide” type brews that make use of a dozen varieties or more of hops that bring forth a flavor palate that takes quite a bit of tasting to really enjoy.  This doesn’t get us down, as we love to sit and taste outstanding craft beer with friends and compare the many differences and similarities between them.

What types of hops do brew masters use?

There are several varieties of hops used to make craft beer.  Each has its own distinct resulting flavor and texture and when blended together they create some outstanding brews.  For example, Cascade hops offers a very nice floral tone to the brew and is one of the most commonly used hops in the industry.  On the other hand, Citra hops offers a citrusy tone that many brewers are blending in to give their flavored brews a little bit of fruity kick.  Other types of hops include:

• Cascade hops
• Citra hops
• Amarillo hops
• Centennial hops
• Chinook hops
• Crystal hops
• CTZ hops
• Fuggle hops
• Golding hops
• Lambic hops
• Magnum hops
• Mosaic hops
• Mt. Hood hops
• Northern Brewer hops
• Nugget hops
• Perle hops
• Saaz hops
• Simcoe hops
• Tardif de Bourgogne hops
• Willamette hops

Each type of hops offers the chance to add to the flavor profile of the brew, as well as add some great bitters to the brew.  Aging can and often will change how bitter the brew finally ends up, of which there are several different aging processes in use today too.  Craft brewers hop their brews in new and interesting ways in order to bring forth the most delicious and desirable brew possible and we appreciate their effort and dedication.

We look forward to seeing what the many craft breweries in the United States have to offer in the upcoming year.  With so many amazing brews having come out over the past season, we can only imagine what they have in store for us next.  Check back regularly as we’ll be featuring what we find.  Don’t hesitate to leave us a comment with any great new brews you find as well and maybe they’ll end up being featured!

-West Palm Brewery

Mar 8, 2017